2 cavity or 6????

[cheese1566]

Another new bie question...
I am just starting and have a used 6 cavity Lee mold and a Lyman 4 cavity (see my other recent post).
I was looking to get another Lee mold for my 45acp. Should I get a two banger or spend a little more on a six.
I haven't used any so I don't know if a 2 is easier to use or if a 6 is more difficult and trickier. I know if mastered, the 6 banger will speed time.
Do the Lee molds heat quickly and take more time in a session waiting for them to cool? I read somewhere to use two different molds in a session; alternating them to give them cooling time to prevent too hot a mold. Is this necessary with Lee's? Or can I keep moving with a 6? I had thoughts of getting two 2 cavity molds to alternate if needed.

Need to spend my money wisely...

[Heavy lead]

IMO 6 cavity, you will get the hang of it.

[hedgehorn]

IMO the key to the Lee six banger is to pre-heat it. I use one for my 45 and I can turn out a whole bunch of good bullets in a very short time once the mold has been lee mented and broken in.

[Dale53]

The Lee six cavity moulds are a couple of "steps up" in quality regarding a comparison to the two cavity moulds.

Sixes are my first choice for a Lee Pistol mould.

Dale53

[EDK]

If you go to one of the big discount outfits like Midsouth, Natchez, etc, you can get the 6 cavity LEE and handles for about what a 2 cavity LYMAN without handles will cost. The quality difference from a 2 to a 6 cavity mould is unbelievable...the 2 is a cheapie.

Follow the instructions...pre-heat, and start 1 cavity and then 2 ,etc...and it's mass production time. Use the Bull Plate lube as directed, LEE-MENT the mould per the stickies and it will serve you well. It isn't iron, so baby it a little.

Pistol shooters need a 4 or 6 cavity mould, a STAR lubri-sizer, and a DILLON 550B (or similar progressive machine.) My two cavity moulds are for the specialized items...not the boolit I use for 40 or 50 rounds per daily practice session.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

"You gonna cast some boolits for them pistols or whistle dixie?"

[timkelley]

I'll go with EDK's first and second paragraphs exactly as written. The third paragraph is farther than I am prepared to go at this time, perhaps in the future.:-D

[EDK]

I'll go with EDK's first and second paragraphs exactly as written. The third paragraph is farther than I am prepared to go at this time, perhaps in the future.:-D


When you're 60 years old and have been casting, reloading and shooting for over 40 years, you accumulate guns and gear...especially after your children are on their own (for the most part!) A young family and a house note don't leave a lot of "playing money" in the current economy. Having a job that periodically worked a lot of over-time paid for my toys...my OT gets split between bills, savings and "playing money for the wife and myself." I'll be working outdoors on some equipment at the power plant Sunday afternoon on OT...high temperature here at St Louis is supposed to be 20 tomorrow....I saw a 44 VAQUERO that I'd like to get at a reasonable price and this would help pay for it; I'll have a reason to be out there "freezin' my a## off!"

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[HeavyMetal]

The Lee six banger is the way to go!

Most who suggest "dual" molds aren't suggesting it from a cooling stand point but from a production stand point!

Used in rotation even two single cav molds will out produce one single cav mold!

With electricity being billed as it is the faster you can get them made the less "juice" you'll buy!

OF course you'll find a pair of six bangers will empty a pot pronto! Now you'll have to use two ( or more) pots to keep up!

I love this hobby!

[NuJudge]

You will need a 20-pound furnace to support a 6-cavity mold in .45 acp. Pre-heating is necessary, but keeping the mold hot will not be the problem it is for 6-cavity molds in smaller 9mm bullets.

You might want to have some Tin around if mold fill-out is a problem. Mold spray is necessary for some molds also.

CDD

[mooman76]

If you plan on shooting allot of 45 get the 6x but if you only plan on some occasional shooting get the 2x. The 2x is definenately easier to use especially for a beginner. A 6x will not kick out 3x as many as a 2x because it takes a little more effort to do the 6x as stated but it will deffinately crank out the bullets and you will need a big pot to keep it supplied and the 6x is deffinately made better. I don't think you will go wrong with either choice but it's up to you what suits you best. Also if you go with the 2x you can afford to get a bigger selection of moulds too!

[jim4065]

Another thing - cast for the quality level that you need. I was positively anal at first - till I realized that 99.9% of my shooting is at rocks, beer cans, bugs and "objects de art". Have fun - make lots of boolits - and shoot 'em up. :Fire:

[GrizzLeeBear]

I find that the 6 cavity Lee molds are MUCH better quality than the 2 cavity molds. Don't get me wrong, you can cast quality boolits from the 2 bangers, but they are more "finicky" than the 6 holers. However, you need a good sized source of hot lead to feed the 6 cavities, like a 20 lb. bottom pour pot.
It is very important to start out casting a half dozen or so boolits with only one cavity, then two, then three, etc. If you try to fill all 6 cavities on the first cast with a cold mold you will not be able to cut the sprue and can break the sprue cam or handle trying (don't ask how I know).
You will know when the mold is up to proper operating temperature when the sprues cut like warm butter. From here on, you can make a pile of boolits in a hurry! You may have to slow down a little after a while, or turn the temp. on you pot down a little, depending on how the boolits look (looking "grainy" rather than frosty, etc.), but even at a little slower pace you can make boolits WAY faster with a 6 cavity than with a 2 cavity.

[Cloudpeak]

I find that the 6 cavity Lee molds are MUCH better quality than the 2 cavity molds. Don't get me wrong, you can cast quality boolits from the 2 bangers, but they are more "finicky" than the 6 holers. However, you need a good sized source of hot lead to feed the 6 cavities, like a 20 lb. bottom pour pot.
It is very important to start out casting a half dozen or so boolits with only one cavity, then two, then three, etc. If you try to fill all 6 cavities on the first cast with a cold mold you will not be able to cut the sprue and can break the sprue cam or handle trying (don't ask how I know).
You will know when the mold is up to proper operating temperature when the sprues cut like warm butter. From here on, you can make a pile of boolits in a hurry! You may have to slow down a little after a while, or turn the temp. on you pot down a little, depending on how the boolits look (looking "grainy" rather than frosty, etc.), but even at a little slower pace you can make boolits WAY faster with a 6 cavity than with a 2 cavity.

GrizzLeeBear is right on the money. The 6 cavity Lee molds really makes bullets! But, I would suggest buying a $12.00 hotplate to preheat the mold and also to premelt lead for a 20# bottom pour. If you preheat your mold, the sprue will cut like butter the first time. If you get the mold too hot like I did yesterday, you'll need a lot of time before the sprue cools. When the sprue hardens, go ahead and cut it but wait awhile before opening the mold. Some of the bullets may still be liquid! Kind of trial and error on the temp setting. Of course, the first bullets won't be any good because they were way too hot so back in the pot they go.

I'd rather wait for the mold to cool down than cast a bunch of cool, wrinkly bullets trying to get the mold up to temp. If you do use that method, which will take longer than the method I described, the suggestion to start with filling one or two cavities at a time. As GrizzLeeBear said, cutting cold sprue is a sure way to have sprue cutter problems.

And, I'm sure someone has mentioned "BullPlate Sprue lube". This is great for lubing pins, sprue pivot area and sprue bolt, mold handle screws and sprue plate/top of mold interface. Your Lee mold will last forever if you use it. Just don't let it go into the cavities.

Cloudpeak

[kir_kenix]

If you don't get the temps too high, you can really really crank out boolits with a 6 cav if you don't let it overheat. Depending on the alloy, I turn the dial on my Lee to 7.5ish, and cast, cast cast. It might take a bit longer to get the mold up to temp, but its easier to keep it going that way, and in my opinion easier to cast a big pile of boolits then alternating molds.

I usually like to run my molds hot and fast, but if you are trying to make a large quantity a little less temp will go along way towards production.

The 6 cavity molds are of better quality, but the 2 cav's are quite a bit cheaper. If this is an occasional shooter, there is nothing wrong with the lee 2 cavitys (you can get 3 molds for the price of a 6 banger). I have quite a few lee 2 cavitys, and they are very usable. If you are planning on filling up a 5 gallon bucket full of boolits, I would suggest the 6 banger tho.

[jack19512]

Just an opinion from a person that has only used the two cavity molds, don't want you to think that the six cavity molds are the only way to cast. I do just fine with the two cavity molds and turn out some very good boolits. I have already cast a lot of boolits with my two cavity molds and don't see any reason they won't cast many more.

If for some reason one of my molds do bite the dust I can replace it with a new one and still be ahead of the game as far as cost goes. I shoot often but not as much as some and the two cavity molds I purchased have already got me coffee cans full of boolits ahead of what I am shooting. Just my opinion of course. I think when it comes down to it I believe it has to do with how much you like casting boolits and how much you are going to be shooting. I have been doing this for a while now and still don't have any desire for a six cavity mold. :)

[jack19512]

I should add that I have two Lee molds on my XMAS list, two cavity molds of course.

[bart55]

Go for the six , I use them for all my pistols and a few rifles also . much better quality. and you can really crank em out. Heck I started 45 years ago with an old two cavity mould for the 22 high power a tong tool and a cookie cutter sizer . sure is a far cry from where I started. got the dillons six cav and as yet no star sizer , have been using tumble lube for mosst all pistol loads

[Three44s]

A lot of good info thus far.

One thing missed ....... a six banger in a Lee is not the handful as to weight that a Seco or Lyman 4 or 6 banger is ....

I use two holer iron or cast iron molds and prefer six bangers with Lee .......

My favorite six banger are the TL designs.

With those micro grooved bullets ...... you get a fair amount of rejects ..... not real badly misformed ... but lightly ..........

For limiting this .... I like to add 1/2% to 1% tin to a WW alloy ....... and it improves fill out ... more heat helps also but you can only go so far with that solution.

But I sort my product after a casting session and those not so bad rejects go into a "plinker pile" .......... and get lubed and shot separately ........

........... After all ............ dead dirt and dead rocks ...... TELL NO TALES ..........!

Three 44s

[AzShooter]

I currently use two Lee six cavity moulds and a Lee 20 lb pot. Casting 300 bullets in about 20 minutes gives me my week's supply ( almost ). I then size them on my Star. I keep casting until the dipper won't fill completely with lead from the pot anymore and then I'm done. I fill the pot with more lead, go to the sizer and finish sizing them and then cast some more if I'm in the mood.

[Down South]

The Lee six cavity moulds are a couple of "steps up" in quality regarding a comparison to the two cavity moulds.

Sixes are my first choice for a Lee Pistol mould.

Dale53

Ditto8-)

[Ugly Dwarf]

Great info here. (in this thread and at the site in general)

I've been lurking here, collecting WW and making ingots for a few months. Now Santa has brought me the funds to purchase gear for casting.

You've confirmed my choices and now it's time to buy my stuff.

Thanks